התמלול המלא של Safe New Device Setups And Fake App Traps

Important steps to take because it's not how it always used to be getting into those, and and we'll dig into that in a little bit. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:27.919 Well, the setup of them. 00:02:28.000 --> 00:02:32.400 Yeah, setup, what you should do with all your new devices and the things that you need to do first. 00:02:32.639 --> 00:02:32.960 Okay. 00:02:33.039 --> 00:02:43.599 And then we're gonna talk about you know doing some data recoveries tasks that that we're able to do for you on just about any kind of media where that holds data, right? 00:02:43.680 --> 00:02:43.840 Right. 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:46.319 And at the refresh computer superstore. 00:02:46.560 --> 00:02:48.159 So we're very good at that. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:52.960 So if you ever need any kind of data recovery, we're gonna be talking about some of those steps also. 00:02:53.280 --> 00:02:57.520 Then we're gonna be talking about Google shutting down a botnet. 00:02:57.840 --> 00:03:09.039 So there's over 1.3 million Google boxes that people have bought so that they could use to uh watch their favorite shows. 00:03:09.120 --> 00:03:12.400 And and you know, I don't think it's too big of a secret. 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:15.599 A lot of reason people bought these boxes is because why? 00:03:15.840 --> 00:03:16.560 Free TV. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:23.199 They know there's a backdoor in there to get free TV, which it's not totally legal, but it's been out there for years. 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:32.639 And if you have one of these boxes, you've you've found out recently that it's not working anymore because Google's wonder why Google shut that down. 00:03:32.800 --> 00:03:40.960 We'll talk about that a little bit more in detail, and then we'll also end the show with another tech tip today how to spot a fake app. 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:41.919 Because you guess what? 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:45.680 Yeah, they're fake apps out there now on Apple devices too. 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:46.080 Yes. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:47.120 Not just Android. 00:03:47.280 --> 00:04:00.560 Used to be fake apps only lived on Android, but they're coming out on the Apple devices also, and you know, and it's oftentimes not even really an app, but we'll talk about that towards the end of the show today. 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:03.840 So getting these new devices set up and secure. 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:09.039 So, you know, you're out shopping, you're buying a new iPhone, you're buying a new Android phone, a new tablet, maybe. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:19.120 And hopefully, if you're buying a computer or a laptop, you're considering refreshed computers for a nice quality business class laptop or desktop, which work great in your home, by the way. 00:04:19.279 --> 00:04:20.959 Also, they're just business class machines. 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:32.160 I mean, they're beefier and uh have typically have better power supplies than the desktops, and the motherboards are beefier on these machines on the business class. 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:36.480 But we're gonna talk about you know, you're out there buying all these new devices. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:39.920 What should you do to help set these up? 00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:43.040 And I'm I want to let you get kick off this episode. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:59.360 The main thing I always stress was setting up new devices for my family members, just close friends, just almost anybody I talk to that's considering getting a new device for somebody is I always stress the importance of starting with your accounts and the updates on that device. 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:03.839 Don't even begin looking at, you know, maybe what apps you would have to bring over. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:04.240 Right. 00:05:04.399 --> 00:05:07.360 The first thing you would you should think about is accounts. 00:05:07.519 --> 00:05:21.279 You know, for example, signing into a Microsoft or Apple account on the machine that you're setting up, a lot of times those can already bring over a lot of information to that system that you don't have to go through and set up again. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:22.000 That's true. 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:37.439 Because if you're thinking the first thing you're gonna do is download some apps, like you know, you need to hold off on that because the updates when you sign in with to one of these services, right, with your new device, a lot of times it'll bring a lot of those apps over with it. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:38.240 Yeah. 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:45.680 Another thing I also you know recommend with doing the accounts first, I recommend that because of how security is now. 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:51.519 You know, we have pass keys, we have two-factor authentication, we have authenticator apps that generate codes. 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:55.040 A lot of these are very secure ways to keep our devices safe. 00:05:55.279 --> 00:06:03.600 And some of them, like authenticator generator code apps, when you move that app to a new device, it doesn't always bring over those two-factor codes. 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:08.720 I personally have been locked out of an account because I moved to a new phone, wiped that old one. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:10.879 I had not a single two-factor code. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:15.920 I had to reset my whole LastPass account because I couldn't get the two-factor code to log in. 00:06:16.160 --> 00:06:22.240 And that was all because I jumped the gun and was like, okay, yeah, everything's done, and I didn't check everything. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:30.079 So again, checking to make sure that you can log into those accounts as a first step, and it takes care of a lot of your setup. 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:41.040 Well, and I think maybe even you know, at the higher area where you need to be concerned about is you know, the whatever operating system we just talked about this in yesterday's show. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:45.680 Whatever operating system that device has, it's been on the shelf for who knows

how long. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:51.199 Yeah, chances are really, really good that it doesn't have the latest updates. 00:06:51.680 --> 00:06:55.920 And oftentimes the automatic updates are not turned on. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:06:59.839 So when you turn on your new device for the first time, it's not updated. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:00.160 Yeah. 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:10.000 And why is it important to update today, especially all the AI tools that are out there that's that's causing all of these manufacturers to make new updates? 00:07:10.240 --> 00:07:13.519 So, you know, it's to update the security of the device. 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:16.160 So make sure your device is secure when you take it out. 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:23.439 If you get something new out of the box, you open it up, you boot it up, make sure that it has the latest updates to whatever operating system that device is using. 00:07:23.600 --> 00:07:24.000 Yeah. 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:37.759 And another thing I always mention any new device, you know, tablet, phone, computer, whatever it is, you know, these big box stores for when you buy brand new, load a lot of junk into the computer. 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:39.120 It's a lot of loadware. 00:07:39.360 --> 00:07:43.360 So I always recommend just going through and just stripping out a lot of that. 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:50.240 You know, you don't need these 27 different Google apps, you don't need these, these four different games that the phone came with. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:50.720 Yeah. 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:58.800 And unfortunately, sometimes when devices are bought brand new, there are also apps that will install themselves down the road like a game would. 00:07:59.040 --> 00:07:59.600 They're timed. 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:00.240 They are timed. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:05.199 That's a feature of bloatware, which we we we really don't like. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:07.439 And that is the fact that it'll it times them. 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:10.879 It doesn't give you all of them all at once because that would be overwhelming. 00:08:10.959 --> 00:08:11.120 Yeah. 00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:11.519 Right. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:13.439 So what it does is it times them. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:23.839 You know, you might get something to sign up for an antivirus two months after you've owned the device because it was timed to wait that long when it after it first came on again, right? 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:35.840 And so, you know, one of the benefits of buying a refurbished computer from refreshed computers is the fact that we don't put any of that bloatware on there at whatsoever on any of our machines. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:46.720 And in fact, we have people that come into the store often who purchased a new computer or laptop somewhere else and said, geez, can you get all this crap off my computer? 00:08:46.799 --> 00:08:53.759 I'm just tired of seeing this pop up because this bloatware takes up storage space and it takes up processing speed. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:58.639 So it actually slows down your computer and it takes up space on the computer unnecessarily. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:04.000 So you don't you don't get any of that with a refurbished computer or laptop from refreshed computers. 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:11.360 And another benefit of the refurbished computer at refresh computers is it's already updated. 00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:13.440 It has the updates, right? 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:16.720 But before you leave the store, we know we like to turn it on again. 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:18.720 And we make sure everything's there. 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:25.440 And if an update is needed, we just let's let's just go ahead and get this thing updated now, and that way you're safe and secure. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:31.919 You're you're on your way out with something that you can feel very comfortable with turning on and get and attaching it to the internet. 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:36.720 I was just gonna say that's one of my favorite parts about buying from you guys, is that you do do that. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:42.960 You make sure that the customer is leaving with the latest, most to update up to date that they could possibly have. 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:53.679 They can get home and just go right into the process of, like you said, adding your accounts with no worries that they're but falling behind and maybe putting them making themselves susceptible to some of these attacks we've talked about. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:09:54.639 Right, that's true. 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:57.600 And it's not just the operating system that gets the latest updates. 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:08.080 There's firmware, you know, there's all types of equipment or or components, I should say, inside a computer or laptop that gets their own individual firmware update. 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:08.480 Yeah. 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:10.960 And so those are all updated also. 00:10:11.120 --> 00:10:22.799 And one of the just like that operating system being updated so frequently now is the fact with these little components that also need their firmware updated, it's the same reason. 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:28.720 It's security, security flaws that are that that are being uh have have a wall just put up. 00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:39.679 Yeah, and something I always recommend on devices too, the for more mobile devices like laptops and phones, tablets, is enable the the find my security features. 00:10:39.919 --> 00:10:42.879 I know on Apple devices it's called Find My Samsung. 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:44.799 I can't remember the name of it off the top of my head. 00:10:44.960 --> 00:10:46.639 It it's it escaped me right now. 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:52.080 But I know Samsung has an equivalent, Windows has an equivalent as well, set up with your Microsoft account. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:11:10.559 That you know, if comes a day where that device is lost or worse stolen, yeah, you can go on another device, log into your account, and

just quickly hit, you know, lock this device, and you can even put information on the screen of the device sometimes to say, hey, this belongs to this person, call this number. 00:11:10.879 --> 00:11:15.840 And you know, we we live on our phones, we live in our we live in our technology at this point. 00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:21.679 And if anybody were to steal that, if you don't have like a pin or something on it, they have free reign to it. 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:27.759 This find my actually lets you put a hard lock on that device until you go back in your own account and unlock it. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:29.039 So set that up exactly. 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:32.480 As soon as you open up a new phone, that's one of the things that you need to get set up. 00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:36.080 And with those Android devices, my Samsung, at least, it's called Find My Mobile. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:37.120 Find my mobile. 00:11:37.279 --> 00:11:37.600 Okay. 00:11:38.320 --> 00:11:46.559 So, and and I mentioned as well, you know, if you don't have a pin or something set up on it, I I I know myself personally, it's annoying having a pin. 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:51.600 I always set up a two a second one, like a biometric, like face ID, my thumbprint. 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:58.639 But having just a pin or a password on any device makes it much safer as a device. 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:00.000 Yeah, so set up that pin. 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:00.399 Right. 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:05.919 I mean, it's it could be a four-digit pen or a six-digit pen in some cases, or some cases even an eight-digit pin. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:10.559 But so yeah, I mean, I I always use a four-digit pen, it's easy to remember. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:11.200 Right. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:14.639 My wife and I are the only ones that know what that pin is. 00:12:14.879 --> 00:12:30.960 And, you know, and and another thing that you know talk about, you know, legacy or or going forward, if something happens to you and somebody knows your pin, yeah, hey, that's one way they can get in to the stuff that you would want them to have access to in case something you know happened to you. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:31.440 Right. 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:39.279 Now, you know, there there are times as well where we forget our pins, we forget our passwords, and this is gonna really help save you. 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:42.080 And that's setting up backups day one on that device. 00:12:42.159 --> 00:12:43.600 If you definitely do a backup. 00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:52.080 If it's a desktop, you know, you can set up OneDrive, which will back up all of your documents, your your unreproducible files, I I like to call them. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:57.919 It other devices like Apple, for example, you set up iCloud and you can set up direct backups there. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:08.960 You know, I I've had unfortunate times where I've had people come in, they don't know the password on their computer, and the security settings they had doesn't allow resetting that password. 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:09.360 Yeah. 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:12.240 And the files on that computer are locked behind that password. 00:13:12.559 --> 00:13:13.039 That's tough. 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:20.000 It is, because the only thing I can say is everything has to be deleted to make this usable because the password can't be remembered. 00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:24.720 A backup would have saved, you know, 10 years of headache because of that. 00:13:24.960 --> 00:13:29.200 And again, you set it up that first day, you know where you started. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:30.240 And set a schedule. 00:13:30.399 --> 00:13:31.600 Back up, back up often. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:32.159 Yeah. 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:38.399 It's important to do often backups, you know, because as we use our devices, there's more going on to them. 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:44.000 And you don't want to recover a backup to, you know, when the vi the device was brand new, for example. 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:50.799 In the safest place today, really, folks, and the quickest and the most efficient way to do a backup is is on in the cloud. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:51.200 In the cloud. 00:13:51.440 --> 00:14:02.639 You know do OneDrive, Google Drive, what you know, just pick whatever that you want to use for your extra your cloud storage, if you will, and do your backup to that cloud storage. 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:04.480 It's it's a nice, safe place. 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:11.679 And sure, yeah, sometimes you have to pay for it, but you know, it's really not that expensive in the scope of things. 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:15.600 Honestly, if you look at it, in some situations, it's the most cost-effective way. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:16.080 It is. 00:14:16.240 --> 00:14:16.399 It is. 00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:25.200 So uh and especially if you're concerned about losing that data, a lot of those subscriptions also have additional items that are on top of them that you have access to, which is a nice little benefit as well. 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:25.679 Oh, yeah. 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:26.000 Oh, yeah. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:27.200 Definitely, definitely. 00:14:27.440 --> 00:14:31.519 So I think we're running down to just about running out of time for this segment. 00:14:31.600 --> 00:14:42.720 And I want you to stay tuned because we're going to talk a little bit about uh what refresh computers can do for you in case your computer or laptop has a virus or you think it might have a virus. 00:14:42.879 --> 00:14:47.440 What what are your first steps and then how we're able to help you with that? 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:54.799 And one of the things I'll go ahead and give you a hint for the next uh segment is the fact we have a free tech support hotline. 00:14:54.960 --> 00:14:55.759 Don't forget that. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:58.720 407-478-8200. 00:14:58.879 --> 00:15:07.519 And when we come back after this break, we'll talk a little bit more about what

we can do for you if you think you have a virus or if you know you have a virus on your computer or laptop. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:13.519 You've been listening to a Sunday edition of Tech Talk right here on WDBO 1073FM and AM580. 00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:43.039 I'm Greg Rhodes here with David Levitt, President and Founder of Refresh Computer Superstore, and technician Adam Little Field. 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:49.759 You can contact the Refresh Computer Superstore by calling that free tech support hotline, 407-478-8200. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:52.000 Or if you have a comment during the show, we'd love to hear it. 00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:55.120 Use that open mic feature in the WDBL app. 00:15:55.279 --> 00:15:57.440 And now back to David and Adam. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:15:58.080 All right. 00:15:58.159 --> 00:15:58.799 Thanks, Greg. 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:02.080 And thanks everybody for listening to yet another edition. 00:16:02.320 --> 00:16:03.440 Another edition. 00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:05.440 I kind of rolled off too fast. 00:16:06.320 --> 00:16:09.279 Another edition of Tech Talk with Refresh Computers. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:13.120 So glad to be able to come to you in video format as well. 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:30.559 And if you missed something on this show or want to recap anything that we talked about, go to refreshcomputers.net, click on that podcast link in the upper right hand corner, and you'll be able to hear and watch this show in its entirety, as well as the show we recorded yesterday and as well as the shows we recorded last week. 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:30.960 Yep. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:34.639 So because this is the second week we've done the show in video format. 00:16:34.720 --> 00:16:39.840 Now you can also listen to all the shows we've done in the last five years, but just audio. 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:40.320 Yeah. 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:42.799 So uh we're excited to come to you in video. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:45.279 Not our beautiful radio made faces. 00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:46.080 That's right. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:47.200 That's right. 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:55.600 So in this segment, we want to talk about, you know, the virus removal uh capabilities that we have at Refresh Computers. 00:16:55.679 --> 00:17:04.319 This is probably, if not the biggest service ticket item for us in other in uh in terms of quantity, how many we do. 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:06.240 It's right up there towards the top. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:06.799 It is. 00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:07.279 Yeah. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:15.839 With virus removal, it's it's become almost a misnomer to say virus removal anymore because a lot of it we encounter every day is just general malware. 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:24.880 Just things that, you know, get put on the system that you don't even really have an idea of what it's doing, which you know does always fit that virus profile. 00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:28.160 Yeah, and I guess a virus would be a type of malware. 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:29.279 It is, I guess. 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:31.200 A more severe type of malware. 00:17:31.279 --> 00:17:37.680 But there's other stuff going on with your computer that's malware that's really that that's kind of that can really nag the heck out of you. 00:17:37.759 --> 00:17:39.920 And you don't even realize it's malware going on. 00:17:40.160 --> 00:17:40.240 Right. 00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:41.839 And we can we can get rid of that as well. 00:17:42.960 --> 00:17:55.359 If the system's starting to run slow after you you tried installing something, you notice that your your web your web browser is not going to Google anymore, it's going to some some address that you can't even pronounce. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:18:00.799 You know, those are genuine signs that, you know, something may be on your system that's just not supposed to be there. 00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:06.960 And like David mentioned, we do have our free tech support hotline, 407-478-8200. 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:09.519 We're closed today, so you can't call that number. 00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:15.359 But if you have any questions about something going on your computer, kind of what I just mentioned, give us a call Monday morning. 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:23.920 We can kind of walk you through some steps over the phone to get started to see, and then we'll probably have you bring it by to kind of clean up whatever whatever mess might be in the back. 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:28.240 Or if you if you think you might forget to call Monday or something, you go ahead and give us a call today. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:28.720 That's okay. 00:18:28.799 --> 00:18:30.000 And leave us a voicemail message. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:30.319 Yeah. 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:37.359 Because you can leave us a voicemail message and one of the technicians will pick it up tomorrow morning and they'll get back to you as soon as they're able to get back to you. 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:37.920 Yeah. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:51.200 And you know, when when we talk about viruses and and all of that, it's always good to have backups like we were talking about before, because when you have this kind of compromise, you want to go back to a good set of files. 00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:58.720 Sometimes on devices, the viruses get so bad that the whole drive may have to go through data recovery. 00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:04.880 We can go through and do some data recovery on drives that have just been just wrecked. 00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:07.759 And I there's a really good success rate we've had. 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:08.240 Oh, yeah. 00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:15.599 You know, digging through and being able to recover a lot of stuff that you can't reproduce, you know, photos, documents from years ago. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:18.079 And, you know, it's it's a long process. 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:19.200 I I will say that. 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:25.200 It is something that generally can take anywhere from five days, sometimes up to a week, to

really scrub through it. 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:27.039 But, you know, it's it's thorough. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:31.759 And if we can't get anything off of it, you know, we can still give you an idea of what you can do. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:36.319 And and there's you know, and we do have a partner in this that's off site. 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:41.680 We we do most of the data recovery ourselves right there at the at the superstore in Longwood. 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:51.519 But if for some reason they it's just where the the drive is so badly damaged, or there's just something that just physically you just there's no way you can get the data off of it. 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:59.839 We have a partner that we refer people to, and they are able to they they have a 99% success rate, yeah. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:02.720 Uh even off of failed hardware. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:08.240 So they they they they do really well with the stuff that we can't ourselves get the data off of. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:11.920 It's almost surgical work that they have to do on some of these drives. 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:13.920 It is really impressive that they're able to do that. 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:25.119 So if you have any more questions than those, head over to the superstore there on State Road 434, just three and a half miles east of i4, or you know, give a call, 407-478-8200, see what they can do for you. 00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:29.279 Coming up next, we're going to talk a little bit more on a Google shutdown. 00:20:29.440 --> 00:20:31.359 Might affect your Android TV box. 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:32.559 We'll see a bit more about that. 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:37.759 You've been listening to Tech Talk right here on WDBO 1073FM and AM580. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:08.160 I'm Greg Rhodes here with David Levitt, President Founder of Refresh Computer Superstore, and technician Adam Littlefield. 00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:20.079 You can contact the Refresh Computer Superstore by calling their free Texas Port Hotline at 407-478-8200, though maybe wait till Monday, or you can leave an open mic juring inside that WDBO app. 00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:31.119 Don't forget to check out the website over at Refresh Computers.net, or you can stop in at the Refresh Computer Superstore in Longwood at 820 East State Road 434, just three and a half miles east of I-4. 00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:34.079 Store hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:35.200 until 7 p.m. 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:38.160 And now back to David Levitt and Adam Littlefield. 00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:38.720 All right. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:39.279 Thanks, Greg. 00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:40.240 Thanks everybody for the video. 00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:44.880 Listening to yet another video edition of Tech Talk with Refresh Computers. 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:46.880 Glad to be coming to you on this Sunday. 00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:50.480 And you can catch this show in its entirety if you miss any of it. 00:21:50.559 -->

00:22:10.319 If you want to catch up on what we talked about yesterday, which was some pretty interesting topics, or even going back the last four almost five years now, uh you go to Refreshcomputers.net, click on that podcast link in the upper right hand corner, and you'll be able to not only listen to the show, just watch this show. 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:11.359 Exactly. 00:22:11.759 --> 00:22:13.680 It's all in video format now. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:15.039 And so it's right there. 00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:27.839 If you want to subscribe to being able to be notified when a new show is ready, go to the bottom of any page at refreshcomputers.net, click on in that box down there, and just enter your email address. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:28.960 That's all we asked for. 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:30.799 And then click submit. 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:41.759 And whenever a new show has been published online, you'll be able to get an email right away, and it'll you with a link that you can click on go right to the show. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:43.200 So glad to have you here. 00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:49.759 So so and Adam, we have video strong technology in the news. 00:22:49.839 --> 00:22:56.160 And so Video Strong Technology, they're the manufacturers of a Google box, basically. 00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:02.000 Think of like Roku or something like that, or Apple TV box. 00:23:02.079 --> 00:23:04.240 So this is a Android box, right? 00:23:04.319 --> 00:23:05.759 It's a TV box. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:11.839 And it so VideoStrong has been making these for years, and Google just shut it down. 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:14.079 I mean, shut them off, shut them down. 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:17.119 You might have one, you might not know what I'm talking about. 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:20.880 There's over 1.3 million of these that are out there right now. 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:23.279 And why did Google shut them down? 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:34.799 Well, Google found out that you know these devices that were made fairly cheap overseas are being used to collect and basically commit fraud. 00:23:36.000 --> 00:23:36.559 I know. 00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:39.359 I know the big word, right? 00:23:39.680 --> 00:23:47.279 Yes, these uh these boxes, you know, they to the consumer advertise, you know, access the television and things like that. 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:54.000 And Google actually found that there was an embedded back door into every one of those boxes to down to the firmware level. 00:23:54.319 --> 00:23:55.680 Well, people got free TV. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:24:03.200 That people were making getting free TV, but the company themselves were making a lot of money committing ad fraud. 00:24:03.359 --> 00:24:11.200 They were collecting ad revenue by faking views by using that backdoor, you know, without you as the user ever knowing. 00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:13.279 Oh, I didn't know it was that serious. 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:17.920 I I I I know that people were using it, or I think,

right? 00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:23.440 People were using it also to get their backdoor access to get the free TV and stuff. 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:24.880 That's how it was advertised. 00:24:25.119 --> 00:24:26.640 Google's Google's not worried about that. 00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:28.880 They're mad that you went around Google ad services. 00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:29.599 Exactly. 00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:30.480 Yeah. 00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:32.240 You didn't pay your ad sense bill. 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:32.720 What are you doing? 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:41.759 And you know, this this is something that facing as a consumer wasn't really I don't want to say impacting you, you know, at face level, right? 00:24:41.920 --> 00:24:42.400 Right, right. 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:55.920 But this is something that if you had one of these boxes and this was going on, there is a chance that your ISP could throttle or even threaten to end service because they flag that as a as a fraudulent use of their services. 00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:56.240 Right. 00:24:56.480 --> 00:25:00.079 But you as a consumer, you don't even know that that's happening. 00:25:00.640 --> 00:25:05.039 It could also have, you know, just extra bandwidth usage in your home. 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:11.759 So, you know, if if you have a small amount of devices and you know you everything is is set up perfectly. 00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:12.480 I'll put it that way. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:21.920 Everything's set up perfectly, and something is running slow still at home, you know, one of these weird overseas manufactured boxes could be the cause of it. 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:28.160 I I did a little bit of reading and I saw a lot of them are, you know, manufactured mostly from China. 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:36.319 That's where this company is able to build these and and then have them shipped just wherever in the world, you know, you you buy and and get it shipped to. 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:43.680 The problem with that is you know how accessible it was, how easy it was to buy one, and now you have something like this coming out in the news. 00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:52.240 It I almost say it makes sense why it was so easy to get it into consumers' hands with the the tag of you know, free this or that. 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:57.920 In the background, they were they were basically running out your home, your internet service for their own uses. 00:25:58.240 --> 00:25:59.680 And you googled that company, right? 00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:01.119 What what did you get when you Googled it? 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:11.839 I looked them up and uh you know, Google still has their cached results of you know their web pages, but when I went to go click on their webpage, I was met with a website under maintenance. 00:26:12.160 --> 00:26:12.880 Oh, yeah. 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:14.559 Just fixing it. 00:26:14.720 --> 00:26:16.079 Written in Ch I think Chinese. 00:26:16.319 --> 00:26:17.680 Half English, half Chinese. 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:31.039 You know, most pet web pages, if they have English-facing text, you know, they don't provide another translation unless there's another country or demograph that's also accessing that website. 00:26:31.519 --> 00:26:40.240 So, you know, I and it I couldn't help but laugh when I pulled it up as well, because it's exactly what I was expecting to see going to their website. 00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:47.759 This is something that me as a consumer worries me about where my devices are built, right? 00:26:48.000 --> 00:27:02.400 Because overseas something like this happens, we get them here, and then a a company like Google finds that this is happening in the background because their services, like you said, Greg, are either being abused or circumvented, you know, they're missing a big piece of the pie. 00:27:02.640 --> 00:27:06.799 And and I want I'd like to say Google has a pretty big piece of the ad pie these days. 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:08.000 Oh, yeah. 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:18.319 And especially with the ad with the increase in AI searches, even utilizing their own Gemini AI, you're circumventing a lot of those advertisers because they're not integrated at this moment. 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:23.200 So any kind of piece of that pie that they're going to lose, they're going to try and find a way to make sure they get it back. 00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:23.920 Exactly. 00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:26.400 And and a lot of these boxes still work, right? 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:26.880 They do. 00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:28.000 They're they're still working. 00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:31.119 And so, but that back door, I think, has been shut down. 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:39.599 So the back door has been shut down, but the problem is, is it it has to be blocked on both ends from the box and and ended on Google's. 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:44.480 Google did their part, but the box still has it because that back door there. 00:27:44.720 --> 00:27:45.680 It's yeah, burnt in. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:46.240 Exactly. 00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:48.880 And you resetting the box doesn't really do anything. 00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:54.400 No, because this is it's set up to where it's in the what they call the OEM of the device. 00:27:54.559 --> 00:28:00.640 So if you go through and do a full reset, that tells the OEM to reinstall this back door. 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:01.119 Yeah. 00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:03.839 So you know, it's it's not a simple reset. 00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:09.759 And and this can go so far as really interrupting Google services through that Android box as well. 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:12.000 So the recommendation is replace that box. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:18.559 I I would definitely recommend replacing it because now that this has been found, at least from Google, you don't know what else is being used for. 00:28:18.799 --> 00:28:26.880 And you know, and I I would imagine a lot of people purchased this box because you know it was a cheaper alternative to like a

Roku, maybe, or something. 00:28:27.039 --> 00:28:35.359 Or maybe they're just into really Google things, you know, and that so they bought this box that just works off of the Android operating system. 00:28:35.680 --> 00:28:39.920 I would say I think the the real reason a lot of people bought these was the free TV aspect of it. 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:41.839 Because I'm gonna get there. 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:53.759 Yeah, so like uh yeah, it's it's nice that it's a little cheaper, but also I've seen these go for pretty good amounts of money because they do, again, offer you all kinds of free subscriptions that you don't pay for. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:54.240 Right. 00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:54.720 Yeah. 00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:59.920 So I think that's a big part of it too, is that these these kinds of companies are a little bit of fly by night. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:01.440 You see these things come and go and things like that. 00:29:01.680 --> 00:29:02.000 You do. 00:29:02.079 --> 00:29:03.920 This has happened, you know, for years. 00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:17.119 Remember in the old cable days, and maybe you don't, I don't know if you remember, Greg, if you were old enough to remember in the old cable days, there were cable boxes that were on the black market that you can hook up to your cable and bypass stuff. 00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:19.359 Everybody had their neighborhood cable guy, right? 00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:22.480 They did, they did the guy that came around and set you up a little bit. 00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:25.839 But uh, and and I mean, we've even seen this though with other brands too. 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:34.319 Recently, Firestick had to have a bit of a recall on some of their items because they were openly easy to manipulate into this kind of software. 00:29:34.400 --> 00:29:34.480 Right. 00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:40.240 And I yeah, and I'm surprised uh because I first heard about the Fire Stick thing uh years ago. 00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.119 Where you right? 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:43.039 I mean, where you and this this is something different. 00:29:43.119 --> 00:29:53.039 It's not the same as uh what's going on with this video strong technology boxes, but the fire sticks also had a w a way where people can exploit them. 00:29:53.279 --> 00:30:03.359 And you know, people actually paid companies or not not even companies, just people out there who who had the exploitation capabilities. 00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:10.400 I don't even know how it works, but you pay them and supposedly unlock something on your fire stick, and now you get all this free, free TV stuff. 00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:22.799 And I think it's uh like a the fire sticks have a browser capability, and I think that that's what it was using, a web browser, to to go into a backdoor place to to to be able to get free video and stuff. 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:25.440 And I would imagine that's probably still going on. 00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:26.799 Oh, they're finding ways. 00:30:27.920

--> 00:30:37.680 They're always finding ways, and you know, that's why Amazon and and other comp um other companies that run their own, you know, streaming devices, they're always pushing updates, right? 00:30:37.839 --> 00:30:43.680 They're always pushing updates to fix these exploits, like Dave was saying, you know, can can really be gone through a browser. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:47.680 And you know, this goes to jailbreaking tons of devices too. 00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:51.359 It's not just Roku's, you know, these TV boxes. 00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:58.160 Almost any device that can be jailbroken is running an exploit so you can do things that you're not supposed to do on the device. 00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:01.200 And a lot of times those exploits aren't meant to be there. 00:31:01.519 --> 00:31:04.319 And they're patched, they're fixed by these major companies. 00:31:04.640 --> 00:31:13.839 The problem with this from Video Strong, you know, it's you can't trust the company, I think, to push an update because this was built with the purpose to be there in the first place. 00:31:14.160 --> 00:31:14.559 Exactly. 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:18.319 It was manufactured to to exploit Google. 00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:21.119 Yeah, it really was, and and and that they did. 00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:26.880 And you know, and to your earlier point, if they could do that, think of the things that it can also do. 00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:42.559 I mean, the these uh boxes that you know, so just I don't know, be careful with these unknowns or no brand, no name boxes out that are out there and ways to get in because you don't know it, sure, it might get you some free TV, but you don't know what else it might be doing. 00:31:42.799 --> 00:31:43.680 There's a trade-off. 00:31:43.759 --> 00:31:46.319 Yeah, if if something's for free, it's because you're the product. 00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:46.720 Yeah. 00:31:47.119 --> 00:31:50.480 So that's always uh kind of a little bit of a motto to keep in mind for those kinds of things. 00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:55.759 And and the interesting thing about this too was that it this was a certified device from Google. 00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:58.720 Their website said Google certified Android box. 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:00.240 And I don't think Google denied that. 00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:02.480 No, they didn't, but they've now revoked it since. 00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:04.000 Oh definitely. 00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:09.519 But I think leading up to you you you try and find those brands that you feel trusted and safe with. 00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:11.440 Google says this is okay to use. 00:32:11.519 --> 00:32:12.799 So I'm I'm going to get it. 00:32:12.880 --> 00:32:24.640 So that's another thing that in this age of where things are so ebby and flowy, it feels like when it comes to what a trusted device is, it can one of those things that you guys gotta be extra mindful of. 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:31.119 Even as even as going as high as like where the federal government is approving where certain items can and can't come from T companies. 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:31.519 Right. 00:32:31.599 --> 00:32:33.440 Yeah, TP Link was one of the hot ones that was going on. 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:34.319 DJI. 00:32:34.480 --> 00:32:38.160 Yep, DJI was another one that they were having a lot of just crackdowns on. 00:32:38.319 --> 00:32:41.759 And again, you know, it it does come from who's manufacturing it. 00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:42.079 Right. 00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:45.279 And we're talking about Video Strong for these Android boxes. 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:54.000 They manufactured these, but you're not going to see one of these Android boxes with Video Strong's name on it, like like they are the ones that are selling it. 00:32:54.240 --> 00:33:00.000 They had, I believe, over 180 different small names that were selling these under. 00:33:00.079 --> 00:33:02.559 And they were, you know, you're very clear. 00:33:02.799 --> 00:33:09.200 I don't want to say rip-off, but the names just you read them and you know that it's just not a not a name that you can trust. 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:10.240 I'll call it a rip-off. 00:33:10.480 --> 00:33:11.279 It's a rip-off. 00:33:11.359 --> 00:33:11.440 Okay. 00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:17.200 It's one of those things where you think you're going and buying something that's a legitimate product. 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:23.680 Uh we mentioned it kind of off the air that we like you if these kinds of products have ruined flea markets. 00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:25.440 I used to love going to a flea market. 00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:30.480 Find a fun, like you parti cool that somebody made. 00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:31.839 Cool handmade items. 00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:49.039 Now they're just filled with these kind of like electronic junk that people can just buy for super cheap off of websites that are ripping you off, Timu and all those other kinds of websites that are I mean, uh I know that they've kind of legitimized themselves, quote unquote, here for our radio audience. 00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:52.400 You didn't see my fingers on the uh on the video stream. 00:33:52.640 --> 00:33:58.480 But they they really do just kind of rip people off for what they think are products that they should be able to trust. 00:33:58.640 --> 00:33:58.799 Right. 00:33:58.880 --> 00:34:00.240 And it's it's it's unfortunate. 00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:13.360 And and that comes to the blatant part, you know, talking about those online markets where you know you buy a d something that has perfect listing for it, you know, say it's it's gonna be a new furniture set and you spend$120 on it. 00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:13.920 Great. 00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:17.840 And you have a box show up at your house and it's a little couch that's this big. 00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:27.280 And legally, there's nothing that you as a consumer can do about it because somewhere in that listing mentioned, you know, it's not the actual character set.

00:34:27.679 --> 00:34:31.039 It's and you know, it's there's a lot of games that are played with that. 00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:35.360 And if you try and go back and find that listing, 99% of the time it's gone already. 00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:44.000 Yeah, it's gone or it's there under a completely different seller name because the previous seller that maybe you purchased from got flagged and banned. 00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:50.000 And unfortunately, with these kinds of marketplaces, you can just make a new free account and start selling again. 00:34:50.239 --> 00:34:53.119 And that's that's kind of I think where a lot of this turnover comes from. 00:34:53.280 --> 00:34:59.679 Because, you know, like Greg was saying, you know, gone are the days of going to a nice flea market and you know, finding some some some nice finds. 00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:05.199 The flea market almost feels like these online places do. 00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:14.480 So again, you know, you're not gonna see the video strong name, but if you have one of these Android boxes, you know, what I would recommend is bring it by us at our store. 00:35:14.719 --> 00:35:21.920 We can take a look at it real quick and and see, you know, if it's one of those brands that might have been one of those ones that have been flagged and give you some peace of mind. 00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:24.239 To your point, it's probably not gonna say video strong. 00:35:24.320 --> 00:35:26.400 Yeah, the name of the company that's actually making them. 00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:27.039 Exactly. 00:35:27.199 --> 00:35:29.840 There's many other names, and you know, bring it by us. 00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:34.159 We can take a look and try to figure out if you'll be safe or if it's better just to toss it. 00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:34.639 All right. 00:35:34.719 --> 00:35:36.320 So, all right, folks, so stay tuned. 00:35:36.400 --> 00:35:41.440 After this break, we're gonna get into how to spot a fake app. 00:35:41.519 --> 00:35:44.719 And yes, they are out there and they're very prevalent now. 00:35:44.960 --> 00:35:50.639 You've been listening to Tech Talk here on WDBO1073FM and AM580. 00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:14.320 Orlando's news and talk. 00:36:14.480 --> 00:36:20.639 I'm Greg Rhodes here with David Levitt, President and Founder of Refresh Computer Superstore, and technician Adam Littlefield. 00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:29.360 You can contact that Refresh Computer Superstore by calling their free tech support hotline, 407-478-8200, but maybe wait until Monday. 00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:33.199 But you can also check out the website over at refreshcomputers.net. 00:36:33.280 --> 00:36:34.480 That's open 24-7. 00:36:34.960 --> 00:36:36.639 And now back to David and Adam. 00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:46.480 All right, Greg, thanks everybody for listening to yet another edition of Tech Talk with Refresh Computers, a video edition, our fourth video edition show. 00:36:46.719 --> 00:36:49.679 Glad to be able to come to you in video. 00:36:50.159 --> 00:36:58.239 And you can go to refreshcomputers.net, click on that podcast link, and you can watch the show in its entirety at your leisure. 00:36:58.400 --> 00:37:07.599 Go to the bottom of any webpage at refreshcomputers.net, put in your email address, and you'll be notified whenever a new show has been published out there on the website. 00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:17.760 So that you can go just click on the link inside the email, and you'll go right to that podcast page and and not only hear us, but see us. 00:37:18.559 --> 00:37:27.519 And so we're gonna talk a little bit about how to spot a fake app because uh you know, unfortunately, yes, there are fake apps out there. 00:37:27.760 --> 00:37:30.000 They're becoming more and more normal, I hate to say. 00:37:30.159 --> 00:37:30.480 Yeah. 00:37:30.800 --> 00:37:47.599 I've I've actually had uh quite a few customers come in that have unfortunately downloaded these fake apps, and they've mostly been on Android devices, and I think that's just because the access Android gives you compared to Apple, it's it's a night and day difference as far as you know what you can do on them. 00:37:47.920 --> 00:37:50.320 Some of us love it, some of us love it, but there are people that abuse it. 00:37:50.800 --> 00:37:51.199 Exactly. 00:37:51.440 --> 00:38:06.559 And a lot of uh these fake apps, they do you know what they're intended to do, they impersonate almost perfectly same icon, same name, and a lot of them can even fake you know their downloads when you're looking at you know where you're getting it from. 00:38:06.800 --> 00:38:15.039 And if you have an Android device, I want to specifically say if you're ever downloading apps, always, always, always use the Google Play Store. 00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:20.000 The Google Play Store is gonna be, I would say, almost your best bet to protect yourself from these. 00:38:20.320 --> 00:38:23.199 Google Play Store has an option in there called Play Protect. 00:38:23.440 --> 00:38:24.800 Yeah, I was gonna say, not a hundred percent. 00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:25.840 It's not a hundred percent, right? 00:38:26.239 --> 00:38:26.639 Pretty close. 00:38:26.960 --> 00:38:36.159 It is pretty close, and what Play Protect will do is, you know, like Dave's saying, it'll scan the apps that you have, and it's not perfect, but it's it's a seatbelt, right? 00:38:36.320 --> 00:38:37.599 It's it protects you. 00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:46.800 And uh again, on Android devices, you can download something off of the internet, and depending on what settings and how your phone is set up, it can do a lot of damage. 00:38:47.039 --> 00:38:51.039 Android supports what's called sideloading, and that's that's the big problem there. 00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:54.320 As opposed to Apple, you can't sideload apps. 00:38:54.639 --> 00:38:55.760 Oh, explain side load. 00:38:56.079 --> 00:38:59.519 Side load is pretty much, you know, you don't have to publish it to an app store. 00:38:59.679 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00:39:04.800 You can download it from the website as a specific file, third-party publisher and all those kinds of things. 00:39:05.280 --> 00:39:07.519 And then just run it and your phone will install it. 00:39:07.920 --> 00:39:10.320 So that would happen if you go outside of Google Play. 00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:10.719 Exactly. 00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:17.599 And there are restrictions sometimes that you have to undo, put in developer options and things like that, which I mean, of course, I have done on my phone. 00:39:17.679 --> 00:39:18.480 And same thing. 00:39:19.119 --> 00:39:21.119 I have a couple of third-party apps that I've downloaded in the past. 00:39:21.519 --> 00:39:22.639 Well, things you you know and trust. 00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:23.599 But again, that's the thing. 00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:31.119 You've got to be downloading from places and and even if it's like open source, things that you understand and and trust for those kinds of things. 00:39:31.280 --> 00:39:33.519 Don't just, hey, somebody said this was pretty cool. 00:39:33.599 --> 00:39:34.400 Let me try it out. 00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:35.840 That's not the best step for you. 00:39:36.079 --> 00:39:36.159 Yeah. 00:39:36.320 --> 00:39:36.480 Yeah. 00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:40.400 Apple, you know, they're a little bit more locked down with their place with their app store. 00:39:40.639 --> 00:39:40.880 A little bit. 00:39:41.840 --> 00:39:42.480 Quite a bit more, actually. 00:39:42.800 --> 00:39:47.360 You have to really get involved in their and their uh ecosystem to get an app on their store. 00:39:47.599 --> 00:39:51.039 Again, you know, that won't make it a hundred percent legitimate apps. 00:39:51.119 --> 00:39:58.400 You know, you can have a legitimate app pass through their stuff, and then the app may redirect you, you know, into something that's not supposed to be there. 00:39:58.559 --> 00:40:01.679 A lot of these counterfeit apps do get caught right at the gate, though. 00:40:01.840 --> 00:40:02.400 Yeah, they do. 00:40:02.639 --> 00:40:09.760 One thing I have found with these apps, though, is a lot of the times they don't really utilize the app to be, you know, the problem. 00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:12.400 They utilize your notifications on your phone. 00:40:12.559 --> 00:40:16.159 So you download this app and it says, hey, it would like to send you notifications. 00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:22.719 Well, now you're getting 20, 30 notifications a minute that your phone storage is low, that you have viruses on your device. 00:40:23.039 --> 00:40:25.760 And those are coming from an a malicious app. 00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:32.880 Yeah, well, hey, and folks, if you think you have this issue on your phone, bring it on by the refresh computer superstore. 00:40:33.039 --> 00:40:35.679 We're there Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. 00:40:35.840 --> 00:40:36.719 until 7 p.m. 00:40:37.119 --> 00:40:39.199 We have a lot of very knowledgeable techs there. 00:40:39.280 --> 00:40:43.440 They can they can help you, they can sort it out, they can let you know, hey, yeah, that's legit. 00:40:43.519 --> 00:40:51.280 That's probably not legit, and they can help you take things off your phone that that need to come off that shouldn't be there to begin with. 00:40:51.440 --> 00:40:54.159 And you know, that's all we're gonna have time for today. 00:40:54.400 --> 00:40:58.800 I really, really love doing this too with you in video format. 00:40:58.960 --> 00:41:06.880 Uh it's just uh a wonderful way to to get the word out and it makes it easier to listen to if you can actually see who's talking, right? 00:41:07.119 --> 00:41:07.679 Pretty sure. 00:41:08.079 --> 00:41:12.800 So that's it for today, and we'll be talking to you again next week.